Cross the Line
by Mikeybikey
Summary: It seems like every famous celebrity today ends up in rehab at one time or another. Our Nanoha is no different, although for a different - more legitimate - reason. Nanoha x Fate with Vivio, Suzuka x Arisa, hints of Subaru x Tea.
1. Homecoming

Timeline: After StrikerS, the same year.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just a few pics of Nanoha&Fate-chan together. :(

" " – words spoken outloud

_Italics _– thoughts

A/N: The Nanoha section's really getting bigger and bigger ne? We got so many talented (pro-ish?) writers here, Eagle8819, Arigatou Sheitarou, Satashi etc.. But besides the heavyweights, it would be really cool if more people get into the fandom and write their own versions of Nanoha x Fate, it'd be so cool to get something new in the section everyday. I just want to contribute something to the NxF fandom, don't know why but I just fell in love with this pairing since MGLN. No other anime/book/TV show prompt me to write fanfics... but NxF is is just soooo cuuute!

About this story, I will not focus so much on it so don't expect updates anytime soon, instead I've been focusing (plotting) another story on NxF called MGLN: GGW. It's a high school fic, _for some reason_ everybody here loves & wants a high school setting. I didn't go to high school in the US or Japan, but my class/school was really boring since everyone got along really well and there were no bullying/heated rivalry & such. So I might not get the whole rivalry/conflict thing right.

Btw... GGW stands for Girls' Gang Wars, **not **Girls Gone Wild... maybe I could write a GGW II when they go to college... haha. Despite the name, it will have a serious storyline with humor and high school stuff in it. NxF of course.

Finally... is there anyone else here besides me who just love Suzuka x Arisa?

End of A/N,

PS: Big thanks to BPharu for the Nanoha x Fate scanlations!

* * *

Cross the Line 

Chapter 1

It has been two months since Riot Force 6's disbandment and its members were all separated from each other, taking various posts within TSAB. Although they are separated physically, feelings and affections can never be stopped by distances alone. And of course, with the advanced technology at their disposal, they are never apart anyway. 

"Ahhhh, I'm so exhausted! The newcomers sure are demanding!" Nanoha thought with a soft smile as she unlocked the door to her lofty apartment. It wasn't their fault though, it happened several times before when the new cadets seem to have doubts about her abilities. After all, she doesn't seem like the type of instructor who could help them to achieve their dreams despite the things they heard about her. But boy how they wrong they were…

"Maybe I overdid it this time." Nanoha only took two steps before she felt a sharp pain in her chest. They happened before, but their occurrences have become more frequent in the past two months. The pain didn't last long each time but its sheer intensity was enough to make her grimace and startle her daughter and fill her eyes with tears. Vivio was young, but one's never too young to notice the pain one's mother suffers from.

It took all of Nanoha's mental restraints to not scream out in pain. Squeezing her eyes shut and taking a moment to calm herself, she stumbled across the living room and collapsed down onto her feather-soft sofa. After a few moments, her breathing returned to normal and the numbness in her chest disappeared. Deciding to take a short nap before picking up Vivio, Nanoha removed the top of her uniform to get more comfortable. Just as she was about to remove her matching skirt, a monitor popped up in front of her displaying a very familiar face.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry Nanoha-chan!" exclaimed a very embarrassed Hayate who quickly turned away. "Is this a bad time?" Hayate continued, not looking at her.

"Hehe, I guess even best friends have to _knock_ sometimes huh?" Nanoha teased her friend playfully. It wasn't the first time something like this happened, but even so the three Aces always had direct access when contacting each other.

"What's up Hayate-chaaaan?" Nanoha chirped in her usual happy sing-song voice when she's with her best friends.

"Um… you decent?" For some strange reason, Hayate's face is still turned sideways, not looking at her. After a moment of no response, Hayate decided to check on her friend. Just as she's about to turn her face, Nanoha screamed out…

"No! I'm naked! Hayate-chan don't look!"

"Ahhhhhh!" Hayate's head spun to the side so quickly that she almost strained her neck, the world turned into a blur before her eyes. "God… Fate-chan's gonna kill me" Hayate whispered under her breath.

After hearing Nanoha's melodic giggles, Hayate knew she has been picked on again.

"Mou… Nanoha-chan!" Hayate glared her brunette friend good-naturedly.

"So anything up? Another request of my services?" Nanoha asked with a broad grin.

"Not really, but it might be of service to you…" Hayate trailed off mysteriously and wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

"Wha-what? Mou… you big meanie, just spill it"

"Fate-chan contacted me two days ago; she said her long haul patrols are over for the time being and that she's on her way to Mid-Childa in two days…"

"In two days?!?! And you're telling me now? Wait, she told you two days ago… which makes her arrival today!" Nanoha exclaimed in horror. But amazingly, her frozen mind was still able to piece together the words Hayate just said… namely "service" and "Fate". And her face ignited instantly, making Agito's flames look like child's play.

"She said she wanted to surprise you and that she can't wait to see you and Vivio" Hayate smirked at Nanoha before she continued her teasing. "I can't blame her though. I mean if I've got such a cute daughter and a loving wi– I mean best friend at home. I'd rocket straight home!" Hayate finished with a palm on her cheek faking a dreamy look.

The heat on Nanoha's face spread like wildfire to the rest of her body. She didn't know what she was thinking or how someone as witty as her could come up with such a lame come-back, but the words left her mouth before she could stop them.

"At least I don't feel her up like you do with your knights!" Nanoha retorted, not even knowing why she was being so defensive in the first place.

"Ara, but I'm their mistress, they don't mind at all!" _It's now or never, you asked for it Nanoha-chan. _"The question is whether Fate-chan would mind since you're not her mistress… or are you Nanoha-chan?" Hayate raised an eyebrow and let her words assault Nanoha with full force.

_S__ervice__, Fate_, _mistress_. The three words echoed over and over in Nanoha's head and the brunette instantly clamped her nostrils with her right hand in an attempt to stop an inevitable nosebleed.

"You've got two hours to get ready before she comes home Nanoha!" The words snapped Nanoha out of her daydream instantly.

"What?! But I have to pick up Vivio and make dinner and clean up our apartment and…" Nanoha said all in breath, panicked beyond believe.

"Don't worry, I'll be picking up Vivio today, so you can concentrate on cleaning and cooking dinner like a good wi– Ah... roommate should!" Not giving Nanoha a chance to object, Hayate cut off the transmission with a happy "Bye!"

"Awww, what a pain…" Even if that was what she said, deep in her heart… Nanoha felt warmth and happiness that her best friend was finally coming home.

* * *

Meanwhile on the TSAB Warship _Claudia_… 

"Ma'am! Reporting Ma'am"

"Yes? What is it?" Fate said in her usual gentle voice and gave a kind smile when she realized who it was.

"We'll be docking in Mid-Childa in 5 minutes Ma'am! Please prepare for landing!"

"Thanks for letting me know Tea. And don't be so stiff. You were never like this with Nanoha… or are you implying that I'm stricter than her?" Fate said while feigning a hurt look.

"Huh? N-no Ma'am! Er... no Fate-san… I'm just nervous to be able to see everyone again."

"You mean you're nervous to see Subaru again!" Fate giggled girlishly.

"…" Tea's face flushed as she thought about her ex-partner.

* * *

Standing at the entrance to the famed Saint Church Elementary School, Hayate's thoughts couldn't help but drift to her friend Carim, whom she's still very close to even after the disbandment of RF6. _Maybe I could visit her again soon…_ her thoughts were disrupted when she saw a familiar little girl walking out of the grand doors. No matter how many times she saw Vivio, there's always a recurring thought… _She's going to grow up a perfect ten like her mothers!_

Speaking of mothers… Hayate couldn't suppress another mischievous thought nagging in the back of her mind since the day she first met the little one. _If Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan had a baby girl, she'd probably look something like little Vivio… __silky __b__rownish-__blonde hair, cute little nose and bright expressive eyes_. But what Hayate really wanted to know is how Vivio's breasts will develop… _full __and__ soft__ like Fate__-chan__'s__? O__r firm and __athletic__ a la Nanoha__-chan? Maybe full and firm like Signum__'s__? But I wouldn't mind if it turned out like Shamal's either… as long as… _

Her inner debates were disrupted when she felt a small tug on her skirt. Looking down, she saw a pair of heterochromatic eyes looking up sweetly at her.

"Vivio! Sweetie, how are you?" Hayate inquired sweetly and gave the girl a small pat on the head.

"Auntie Haytate! I made new friends today! Um, where's my mama?" Vivio couldn't help but ask, Nanoha-mama's health was constantly on her mind, it was _her_ fault after all…

"Don't worry about Nanoha-mama, she's fine" Hayate reassured as if knowing what's on the small girl's mind and gave her a light hug.

"She's just busy at home since your Fate-mama is coming home tonight!"

"Really?!" The small girl's eyes shone brightly at the name of her kind mother, whose gentle smile always brought her a sense of serenity.

"Yup! But first, let's go and pick out a welcome-home present for your Fate-mama ok?" said Hayate while offering a hand to the excited little girl.

"Un!" replied Vivio with a happy nod and took Hayate's hand with a sunshine smile on her face.

* * *

"Ok, ok! I can do this! It's just a home cooked meal… nothing hard" Nanoha chanted over and over again to reassure herself. And after what seemed like an eternity, she finally decided upon a dish that would suit Fate-chan's tastes. 

"Alright, tonight's dish will be Pasta Linguine with pesto, sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil and a fresh bowl of salad a la Takamachi!" Nanoha announced happily to no one in particular.

_Fate-chan will love it! Healthy and delicious, low fat and perfect for her figure! Wait, what am I thinking__! Fate-chan is my best friend! __But__ still, it's not a crime to admire her beauty right?__ Huh? What's this? Drool? A__h__-ma-gad! I'm drooling over Fate-chan, no no, I'm drooling over the__ thought of __food… yeah, that's right! Food… yum… Food… yum… Fate… yum… No no! I meant… bah! I'm really going insane._

And with that, Nanoha continued her mental rant with herself without getting any food cooked.

* * *

_It's been two months since I last saw her but it felt much longer than that, so much longer. I never stopped thinking about her though, her beautiful sparkling eyes,__ her energetic smile and the way she __always __said my name.__ The scary thing is…__ it has always been like this__ ever since that day during high-school. I know I'm stepping into dangerous waters but I can't help myself from feeling this way. __Yes it's true, in one form or another… I've always liked Nanoha._

Fate's heart couldn't help but ache at the thought. Nanoha's her best friend, always by her side, always aiding her and yet, always oblivious to her feelings. _But it's not her fault; after all… it's not normal __for a__ girl to __have romantic feelings for__ another girl right?_

"Right?" Fate whispered quietly, this time tinged with uncertainty and hurt.

"Fate-san?"

"Ah, it's nothing Tea. Just wondering how long till we're there"

"We're here" As if on cue, the driver signaled his passengers as the car came to a halt in front of a modern apartment complex.

Silently Fate stepped out of the shiny black car and proceeded to unload her luggage when she was stopped by an overzealous Tea. It took a full minute to convince the young Enforcer that her help was appreciated but not needed. The car finally pulled out of the peaceful driveway… but not before Tea cried and hugged Fate as if she's never going to see her again. Without another look at the retreating automobile, Fate hastily entered the building where she shared an apartment with Nanoha and Vivio.

After the short ride on the spacious elevator, she finally reached the top floor. It was only now that she was reminded of how fortunate she was, the apartment she lived in was more like a penthouse. But it wasn't the luxurious domicile that brought warmth to her heart; it was the people living inside, people who meant the whole world to her. As long as she was with Nanoha and Vivio, she could live in a dumpster and still be the happiest woman alive. _Although I could really use a shower right now__…_

Inserting her key and with a small turn later, Fate entered the spacious penthouse. If anything, this place is even bigger and better furnished than their old residence at Section 6. She still remembered that time when the penthouse was first displayed to the personnel of the TSAB. The construction of the apartment complex has just completed with the entire project financed by the TSAB City Planning Committee. Both Nanoha and Fate were present at the first tour of the complex and Nanoha instantly fell in love with the said penthouse.

Despite their rank and achievements, acquiring such an expensive and prestigious residence is still nearly impossible. For the first, both Nanoha and Fate are only 19 and female… this alone meant that they are looked down upon in the hierarchy that characterizes the military. Secondly, both are officially single and have not been in any relationships since the day they set foot upon Mid-Childa. This meant that they don't get priorities over those who are married and have children or those that are in a relationship and have plans to get married/have children.

So how did they end up with the penthouse? Besides having friends at high places, it was the arrival of Vivio that really gave them an edge. After the story of Vivio and Project F gone public, many people felt that victims of Project F deserved better treatment. With both Fate and Vivio being victims and with Vivio being a homeless little girl, the trio got enormous support from fellow colleagues and was granted the keys to this lavish home.

Entering the said lavish home, the blonde Enforcer placed her luggage (which were full of yummy goodies for young Vivio and equally -mentally- young Nanoha) carefully near the entrance.

"I'm home!" The blonde had to literally shout to get her voice across the apartment.

After taking off her heels, Fate couldn't help but to rub her tired feet before making her way towards the living room.

"Nanoha? You home?" The blonde wondered out loud.

"A massage would sound really good right now you know!?" The blonde teased playfully.

Still no response and no Nanoha in sight.

_Where could she be? __Is she planning another__ prank on m__e?_

"Nanoha? Nanohaaaaaaaaa?" Fate continued in a sweet sing-song voice.

As she got near the entrance to the kitchen, her body froze and her heart stopped beating for a split second. Burgundy eyes instantly locked onto the unconscious body on the cold kitchen floor.

"Nanoha!!!"

* * *

A/N: Please leave a review! Until next time:D 


	2. To the Sky

Timeline: After StrikerS, the same year.

Disclaimer: I own nothing, just a few pics of Nanoha&Fate-chan together. :(

" " – words spoken outloud

_Italics _– thoughts

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to all you (reviewing XD) readers out there! I know I said not to expect updates soon, but since everyone wants to know what happened to Nanoha, I think I should deliver! 

If I got any facts wrong from the anime, please point it out in your review or PM me, thanks!

End of A/N

* * *

Cross the line 

Chapter 2

"Nanoha!!!"

The blonde quickly made her way to the kitchen, ignoring the chilly stings on her stocking-clad feet when they made contact with the cold tiles.

As she got herself closer to the girl on the floor, Fate slowed her steps… half expecting the brunette to suddenly jump up and tackle her down with a happy "Nyahaha!"

Again the blonde Ace tried…

"Nanoha?"

No response.

With Fate now in close proximity, the blonde finally got the chance to observe the brunette. The stillness of the girl's body is genuine; Fate knew that from her experience as an Agent and Enforcer for the TSAB. This revelation shook Fate to the core. _Nanoha's __not movin__g… s-she's not moving!? What's going on here? Has there been an attack? An attempt on Nanoha's life!__? Was she hurt? Was she drugged? Was she __rap-_

Fate had to literally smack herself to stop thinking such appalling thoughts. Her Agent instincts quickly kicked in and took over her as she scanned her surroundings and performed a powerful area scanning spell. After discovering that no one was in the apartment, Fate returned her full attention on the girl in front of her.

Although she was tempted to pull the brunette into her lap, Fate knew better than that, one has to make sure the victim wasn't critically hurt before they could be displaced or treated. But Fate wasn't simply following protocol this time; she did it because she truly cared about Nanoha's well-being and would take all precautions to make sure the brunette was alright.

Taking a second to calm herself, burgundy eyes once again took in Nanoha's lifeless body to scan for any visible injuries… any clues to help her to identify the cause of Nanoha's condition. Carefully examining her secret crush and her close surroundings, Fate noted several important details. There was neither blood nor signs of struggle. On the floor, there was a plastic salad bowl lying on its side, apparently knocked over – most likely by Nanoha herself, judging from the bruise on her left hand. But the most disturbing detail on the scene was Nanoha's position.

Nanoha was in a fetal position; her right hand clutched the chest area of her shirt tightly… resulting in many wrinkles on the white shirt. The left hand was outstretched… as if trying to reaching for something. The brown haired girl's right cheek was pressed hard against the cold floor tiles, and it was then that Fate saw Nanoha's face. Because of prior angle and lighting, Fate couldn't make out Nanoha's expression given her position… but she could now, and terror struck her heart.

Nanoha had a look of utmost agony on her face and then there was blood trickling from the corner of the unconscious girl's lips. Yes, Fate didn't notice it before, but she did now.

"Nanoha wake up! This is not funny! Please open your eyes Nanoha… you're scaring me!"

"Nanoha…" Fate whispered again in a weak and broken voice. As if a lightning had suddenly struck her, the blonde realized that the longer she stayed here, the more danger the brunette will be in. She really wanted to call Shamal and has the other blonde send a medical team to their position right away… but that would take too much time.

After murmuring a quick few words of assurance to the brunette (even though she couldn't hear her), Fate rushed to their living room and opened the large ceiling windows using the command console that controlled every aspect of their advanced home. Once the windows are open, Fate set a 5 minute automatic closing and lock timer.

_Ready for __takeoff__… now __let's get Nanoha to a hospital._ Fate gave herself a mental kick and ran back to the kitchen.

* * *

"Auntie Hayate? Do you think Fate-mama will like this present?" Vivio asked tentatively as the cashier placed the pinkish-white stuffed toy bunny into a neat little present box before handing it over to the little one.

"I'm sure your mama will love it Vivio." Hayate said with an adoring smile. _Great choice Vivio! __Bunnies really are the best way to depict Nanoha and Fate._ Hayate thought with a goofy grin. _Wait, Vivio's still too young for that kind of stuff… I'm just reading too much into things._

"So Vivio… are you excited about seeing Fate-chan soon?"

"Un! Un! Vivio misses Fate-mama lots and lots!"

"That's great sweetie, because I'm sure your Fate-mama misses you a lot too."

"Do you think Fate-mama misses Nanoha-mama lots and lots too?"

"Of course sweetheart, Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan has always been inseparable and always will be." Hayate spoke in a soft tone as she thought about her dear friends. _Nanoha… Fate… you two has always been the perfect couple in my eyes… even __when__ you're both girls. I wonder…_

"Yup! Yup! We are a happy, happy family!" Vivio's eyes were sparkling as the little girl thought about her caring, but at times strict, mothers.

_I really hope __the__ two__ of you __can__ realize this __child's dream__ Nanoha-chan…__ Fate-chan… _

* * *

Even when she's in such a hurry, the blonde girl still remembered to wrap a warm blanket around the unconscious brunette. With Nanoha securely in her arms, the blonde Ace took off towards the orange sky. The evening sun was approaching the horizon, signaling the end of one day and soon, the beginning of another.

_Please be ok Nanoha… because without you, there is no tomorrow for me._

Travelling at supersonic speeds, Fate knew she must have broken every regulation there is. She was flying over city limits. She was speeding. Hell, she shouldn't even be flying in the first place given the law imposed on her from the military. But Fate didn't care, for the first time in her life… she did not give a damn about laws, rules or whatever. Time was of the essence.

If it meant that Nanoha could be saved because of her actions right now, then Fate was willing to be court martial'ed or face whatever charges made against her. _What am I thinking? Of course Nanoha will be saved, of course Nanoha will be fine! I have to focus…_With two cartridges being loaded into Bardiche, Fate's barrier jacket shifted into Sonic Form, giving the Enforcer even more speed and agility.

As the world blurred by, Fate still managed to spot a large hospital near her left. The blonde made a sharp turn and performed a rapid descent. As her feet touched the ground, Fate heard gasps of shock and surprise from bystanders as well as a few wolf whistles (to her immense irritation). Without even taking an extra breath, the blonde stormed into the hospital with the brunette in her arms.

"Doctor! I need a doctor right away! I have a wounded TSAB officer with me!" The blonde screamed at the top of her lungs. She was about to scream again, but she no longer had any air left in her lungs and was having trouble breathing. Desperate and tired, the blonde was about to fire a few shoots from Bardiche to get the medical staff's attention but thankfully, a middle-aged woman made her way hastily towards the two Aces.

"What's going on here?"

"M-my…" Fate wanted to scream, she desperately wanted to tell this woman what she saw… but damn her lungs! Fate was tired, from her long trip… from her ultrasonic flying… from her immense mental stress. Fate couldn't speak a single coherent word. _I have to tell this woman what I saw; tell her that it's serious. I have to tell her to do everything she can to save Nanoha, __to take extra good care of Nanoha__ and that Nanoha's scared of needles__. I have so much to say…_ The desperation and stress of not being able to get her thoughts and feelings across brought hot tears to her eyes.

As if she understood the blonde's silent thoughts, the woman yelled to the others near the reception to assemble an emergency team.

"Ok, ok… don't worry. We'll get your friend to an emergency room right away and perform a check up on her. You can take a deep breath and tell me what happened." The woman said soothingly.

In less than a minute, 2 female nurses rushed to their position with a wheeled hospital bed. Carefully, Fate released the brunette from her protective hold and helped the two nurses place Nanoha onto the bed.

Before Fate could say anything (not that she had the breath to), the nurses were already off with the unconscious brunette… leaving the blonde with the woman who gave the order. With the somewhat soothing thought that Nanoha was finally getting treatment, Fate collapsed onto a nearby bench. As if the situation had finally sunk into the blonde's numb mind, Fate began to sob uncontrollably.

A million what-ifs rushed through Fate's mind, scaring her… chocking her… shattering her. Her worst nightmare was unfolding before her. _What if Nanoha never open__ed__ her eyes again?_ Fate's crying became even heavier at that wretched thought.

Carefully approaching the broken girl in front of her, the woman decided the best thing to do now was to introduce herself.

"My name is Helen Berlinetta; I work as the head of the nurses here. Can you tell me what happened? What you saw?"

Swallowing down whatever it was that was chocking her, Fate looked up and truly noticed the woman for the first time. Helen appeared to be in her mid-forties but still looked quite dazzling, shiny blonde hair cascading over her shoulders and soft hazel eyes. (A/N: think Helen Hunt!)

Even though she never met the woman, Fate felt strangely comfortable and relaxed in the woman's presence. Fate had some idea as to why. Ever since her abusive childhood came to an end and she was left motherless, Fate had developed a weird habit. Every time Fate met an older woman, she would mentally grade that woman's "mother-bility" on a scale from 1 to 10. This continued even after Lindy adopted her. _Helen is definitely a 10… __Argh__ now'__s really not the time to crave maternal __attention__… _

Fate shook her head slightly to clear those irrelevant thoughts and turned her attention back to the woman.

"H-Hi, I'm Fate Harlaown. I was away for two months on a long haul mission and just got home thirty minutes ago. That was when I saw my friend unconscious in the kitchen… I really don't know what happened… So I rushed here."

Somehow, the name of the blonde girl in front her sounded strangely familiar to the mature woman…

"What did you say your friend's name was?" The head of nurses observed Fate again, this time noticing her Barrier Jacket and Device. _Could it be?_

"Huh? Oh! Right, the paperwork… My friend, her name is Takamachi Nanoha. Tactical instructor and…"

"Oh my! It really is you two!" The woman replied with a hint of shock followed by a solemn military salute.

Even though she was confused, Fate saluted back – although it was more of an automatic response.

"Uh… huh?"

"You didn't know this was a military hospital?"

"Nyahaha...!?" Fate coughed nervously, but the awkward laugh only reminded her more of the girl inside the emergency room. "I didn't really look where I was going actually…"

"I've heard a lot about you two… it's a pleasure to meet you. Although I wish it wasn't under these circumstances."

"Y-yes, it's a pleasure to meet you too. I-I think I have to contact my friends about this situation." Even after all these years, Fate's still not used to flattery and would blush every time anyone praised her.

"Of course, but I would suggest you to fill out the forms first. It's a standard procedure…"

"Ah, it's no trouble. Show me the way."

"This way please." Helen led Fate towards the reception and started to process the paperwork right away.

It was mostly general inquiries about the patient; previous medical records… allergies and so on. Just as they were about to fill out the last page of the forms. A nurse came running out and signaled Helen to the side, murmuring something Fate couldn't make out. But the blonde Ace did notice that Helen turned slightly pale after the nurse finished her quiet briefing. Uneasiness clutched Fate's heart while her limbs suddenly felt cold, as if her blood circulation stopped dead in its tracks.

"Ok, I'll get to it right away." Helen told the petite nurse who quickly returned to the ER room.

"What's going on?"

"Miss Harlaown, I'll get right to the point… your friend is in critical condition…"

"No…." Tears began to fill her vision again.

"Her chances are good if we perform surgery right away."

"S-surgery? You mean-"

"No, I meant a magical surgery; Miss Takamachi has suffered from a deteriorating Linker Core for some months now it appears. I'm sorry I don't have further information. The doctor will issue a detailed report later on for her family members."

"I… oh God... Nanoha…" Fate shut her eyes and swallowed her tears silently. "Is she in surgery now?"

"That is preciously the problem, this task involves significant risks… and we need an authorization signature from her family before we can do anything."

"But her family lives on another planet! Is a verbal authorization ok?"

"I'm sorry, but the law regulating medical safety requires a written authorization. Does Miss Takamachi have a spouse?"

"W-what? No! She's only 19 and she's SINGLE!" Fate said angrily.

"I-I'm sorry, I did not mean to intrude into her personal matters. Is her superior officer available?"

"No, I talked to Nanoha three days ago; she said her superior was on an inter-agency conference somewhere…"

"I see, then I'm afraid we cannot proceed with the surgery" Helen said in a mere whisper.

"But without surgery, is Nanoha going to be alright?" Panic started to stir within her.

"The doctor specifically stressed the importance of this surgery; without it, he believes her chances of surviving are…" Helen looked at Fate with a pained look.

"Please… tell me"

"Her chances are slim to none."

"No… no… Nanoha, please Miss Berlinetta! Please do something! Nanoha… I can't let her die! I can't allow it! I absolutely forbid it!" Fate's starting to lose it, murmuring incoherent syllables and other nonsense."

"Please, Miss Harlaown… calm down."

"How can I calm down?! The most important person in my life is about to DIE. All because of a stupid signature! I-" Fate clenched her fists, blood red eyes filled with murderous intent.

_Looks like it leaves me with no other option, my career is over if I let this go through. But then __again, __I get to keep my life._ Helen thought dryly.

"Miss Harlaown, please calm down. There is another way."

* * *

Thanks for reading, your reviews really support me and encourages me to continue. 

PS. A lot of characters will be returning next chapter... expect more tears, angry shouts and some hard slapping!


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